jpnjim

Old pic, but the bumper still looks the same. Just used 4" channel, with the stock brackets, for a minimalist bumper. Then added the hooks & receiver later on. I had a crappy welder at the time, so I just tacked the channel to the brackets, and brought it to a shop to weld.

I like this option: http://www.trail-gear.com/rocksliders.html Less work than building from scratch (and nicer than anything I've made), and cheaper than buying off the shelf. $99 to $140 + mounting feet I haven't tried them yet, but this is the direction I like best.

Sucks that you had to reformat. I've gotten 3 virus's over the last 2 years (different machines), and I'm far from a pro (sometimes blindly just trying to work through it), this is what worked for me: Try to figure out 'when' I picked it up, and do a time based search of files/programs on my computer. Find, and delete anything brand new that was installed during that time, especially prefetch files & exe's. I internet search the file names of anything I'm unsure of, and also search the names of the files I know make up the virus. I delete what I can, based on the time of instal, and anything that won't delete, I go get in safe mode. A few times, the deleted file kept popping back up (esp after a restart), but that just tells me I didn't find the root yet. Some have taken longer to completely eliminate than others, but I'm 3 for 3 using this method. Maybe it's just dumb luck, but 'lucky' beats 'good' everytime anyway. :dunno:

Not the best pic ever, but to give you some idea what I'm talking about: Tomken skid on right, copy in 1/4" on left. Everything still hangs down as far as the factory X-member (= you could build a flatter setup if you ditched the factory X-member), but if you're not planning a flat belly, it's not a bad setup to protect the tranny & t-case.

You didn't ask, but I've had really good luck with this (framerail to framerail) skid: http://www.tomken.com/detail.php?id=119 If you're still running the factory X-member, it works pretty well to protect the T-case. I liked this skid so much in my XJ, that I had a friend copy it in 1/4" (original is 3/16"), and I used the 2nd one in front of the X-member to protect the auto tranny (cutout for the cat is placed very well for ft driveshaft clearance when the skid is reversed). I can't think of a single other Tomken product I would recomend, but I really did like this setup over pretty much all the other 'engine/tranny' skids, that were more complicated, with brackets coming down from the floor, etc. Full width coverage at less than $90 each is a pretty good deal too. (FWIW, I trimmed down those goofy little spacer's they weld on there, to get the whole thing to sit closer to the 'frame')

If you could verify the rebuild was done by a legit shop (25 different valve covers for the 4.0L in 91' :rotf: not sounding so legit 2 me), and that @ 50kmiles it still has great compression, the value goes up some: IMO, the 91-95's are the best engines, still use the original 87-95 (slightly bigger) cam + don't have the issue prone 96+ pistons, tho since it's a rebuild, who knows if they used the early cam & pistons :dunno: (FWIW, some prefer the 96+ cam, since it bumped up the low end torque). Getting a 96+ instead would have the benefit of the factory main journal girdle, and the block is supposed to have other HNV 'fixes' in it (tho it's widely claimed that the original 87-90 blocks are the best of all because of better materials used by AMC). Boil it all down, and it's just another 4.0L, with the 'good' 91-95 head, & 'who knows' inside for components. I think I paid $250 for the 36k mile 92' in my MJ. That was a very good deal from a friend. If you're thinking about buying this one off your dad, I'd be hoping for something in that ball park. For everyone else, something ~$500 is probably closer to reality.

Depends what you make them out of, and how high you're lifted/how much down travel you have. Either way, trim the plate.

If the 37" comment was about the (non-Bogger) front TSL's in the other pics, those are Q/78's (35.5"x11"). Pretty much the limit (IMO) for a 30 with alloy shafts. I've had great luck with this HP D30, wheeling generic 33x12.5 & 35x12.5 MT's. (with 4.56's & stock 2-piece 297 shafts) for years. When I made the jump to 33x12.5 TSL's (33.5"x11.5") & a lockright, I swapped in stock 1 piece 297 shafts, and the good luck continued. Because of all the down time, the Q/78's haven't seen much dirt, but alloy shafts went in with that jump in size. The 1/2 worn 37" Boggers were for play time on the rear only, with the Q's up front. (At 36.25" the Boggers = 2% taller than 35.5" Q's, no big deal on the loose trails here). D60/full detroit/35sp Moser's = more than up to 37's, so :dunno: FWIW, I wouldn't mind having 'more' front axle (especially once I change the T-case), but running 35/36's in a unibody Jeep is a fine line. Especially when you DON'T want to go full width. (and any ft axle change is most likely gonna mean replacing my 60's rear shafts & brakes, since the small Mopar style flanges won't take a 5.5" wheel patturn)

When you're just driving around the block, and taking measurements D30's hold up great to 37s! In the text I said the 37's were just for 'driveway pics' (fenders were cut for 33" TSL's, and the 37's stuffed in there for a quick whirl around the block). Before anyone else just skimming pictures picks up on this, let me fully disclose.... I didn't really stretch this MJ out to a 6 door either. (hangs head in shame). Don't know how I thought I could get away with that one. ;)

Just to add my 2c in here, I also loosen the front spring eye bolts when I do a shackle install. Then, like you said, cycle the suspension/bounce it a few times, before tightening all 6 bolts back up. Probably doesn't make that much of a difference, but doesn't take that much to do it either (and it's a good excuse to lube those bolts).

I have a cheap, used tire machine now ($100 from a tire shop that went out of buisness), but before I got it, I used to pop beads & break down tires with a bottle jack, and a long 4x4 post. :D ****** :no: DO THIS AT YOUR OWN RISK :no: ************ :D I'd stand the 4x4 up on the edge of the tire bead, put the bottle jack on top of the 4x4, and slip the whole thing under a support beam in my basement. After I got good at it, maybe 10% of the time, the bottlejack would still try to slip out, and take my head off :nuts: But the other 90% of the time it would smoothly pop even the toughest beads off. Eventually I made a metal plate to go over the end of the 4x4, and that seemed to help. (FWIW, even when I had a heavy @ss J4000 FSJ, I was never able to pop beads with just the vehicle weight on a highlift, or using a plank, YMMV) In the long run, finding that $100 beat up old tire machine probably saved me some cuts & bruises, and maybe even a few teeth. :D Check out Craigslist, I bet there's a couple cheap machines in there right now. BTW, all of your valvestems are probably ancient if one popped, think about replacing them all. :D :smart:

When I first installed sp2 I had issues, but I never had any problems with sp3. Doesn't take up that much room either (even running it on the tiny 4gb ssd in this eee netbook), no real reason not to install it :dunno:. Didn't MS drop support for XP sp1 already? Probably only a mater of time before they stop supporting sp2. (I slipstreamed sp3 into my instal disc, so I should be OK till they pull support completely)

Ahh, sorry. There has been alot of debate over the 255/85-16's getting canned, when you typed 33x9.5", I thought you were just dumbing down the size for us. :D 285/75-16's have been the fall back size for most of the 255/85-16 users, so when you posted that in the next sentence it confirmed (atleast to me :smart: ) that we were talking about 16's. Oh well, maybe with any luck the 33/9.5's problem is the same kind of part number snaffoo :dunno:

Not Discontinued. :D {according to this anyway, old PN disc, new number put in service): http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/s ... p?p=381664 Onlinetires.com is listing them (and they're on sale) http://www.onlinetires.com/

I was getting: You have been permanently banned from this board. Please contact the Board Administrator for more information. A ban has been issued on your IP address. I actually got the banned message again on 5/26, Verizon had me back at a 151.203.xx.xxx IP that day I throught fine today (5/28) with a 129.44.xxx.xxx :dunno: Not sure why my home IP keeps changing, I guess it's a Verizon thing. I've been checking the IP here: http://www.whatismyip.com/

:cheers: :banana: Back up. Thanks guys! :thumbsup: (hmm, I just checked and my IP has completely changed {now 129.44.yada yada yada}, I did a shutdown of this router the other day, maybe Verison changes them from time to time? ) Either way, glad to be back. :typing:

Newp. :( My home Verizon connection is still getting: Good to know it's not personal tho :D :cheers:

My log in still works, but my home IP has been permabanned. IP = 151.199.40.76 Am I banned? I can't view the forum from the above IP, so if possible could one of the admin's E-mail me to let me know? Thank You, Jimmy

Sucks, but it looks fixable. Did the bed take out the passenger's side cab corner? (looks like it in the pics). :ack: Good luck, hope everything works out.

Maybe it is the redneck in me but... I really like that truck! I bet he makes a bundle renting it out for redneck weddings & funerals. :thumbsup: (how many gunracks do you think it has?)

A little late with my reply, but yeah, we met him at a book signing back in 04' (release of the final Dark Tower book). Tiny little mom & pop bookstore, with a few hundred King fans lined up around the block. All things considered, it went amazingly well. He was warm & friendly to everyone, well worth sleeping overnight in the XJ, & waiting in line. :cheers:

Cut the outer bedsides off an MJ bed, and you're 1/2 way there.

Definately, they would have had to reinforce the hell outta it. Anyone else find any contenders yet? Similar enough dimensions, that I bet it would work. Big pluses: They repro them It would still be a Jeep bed Old school Jeep tailgate would look awesome back there I'm thinking it will take a 4' wide sheet (pretty sure, but not 100% on this) Would compliment the boxy body General wheelwell shape should match the front No other body lines to worry about Negatives: Cost for repro Rear axle might not be wide enough (Willy's P/U rears are wider than their ft axles)

304's are OK, but bolting a blower to one, because someone told you 360-401's aren't AMC engines is :nuts: They're all the same basic blocks: 360's are easier to find than 304's & starting with one would give him more power (more cubes) & better breathing (bigger valves & bigger piston cross section), without costing an extra dime to build. A 390/401 = more cubes, and the steel crank & rods will handle the boost better than a 304/360's cast crank & rods.

The output shaft of BA's is splined all the way through the tailhousing, till it gets to the output bearing. The speedogear is then internally splined to slide all the way down the output shaft. Clean the shavings out of a blown up 4x4 Peugeot's rear housing, bolt it in place of the 2wd's tailhousing, and trim the output shaft to fit. Get a 21spline 231, and you're good to go. I did my first 2x4 to 4x4 MJ swap without even pulling the tranny. No one told me you could do it, I had the 4x4 rear output, and some time to check it out.